Executive’s Wellbeing: 10 Tips to Maintain a Healthy Wellbeing

Are you struggling to maintain a healthy wellbeing? As a busy executive, it can be difficult to find time for yourself. When you have a spare moment, you may find yourself answering emails or getting that extra bit of work done when in reality, you should be using this time for yourself and what matters most to you. In this article, we’ll cover the benefits of maintaining a healthy wellbeing as well as 10 tips you can leverage to take control of your wellbeing. 

• Why is it important for executives to maintain healthy wellbeing?
• 10 tips for executives to maintain healthy wellbeing 

Why is it important for executives to maintain healthy wellbeing?

• Make time for your personal life
• Use the time-blocking method
• Create and follow a routine that prioritizes your wellbeing 

1Fosters a healthy culture

Executives often underestimate the influence they have on those around them. You may not realize that how you take care of yourself influences how others do the same, and to foster a healthy culture you need to start from within. To quote Lloyed Lobo, Co-Founder of Boast.AI, on episode 93 of our Supermanagers podcast:

“As a founder, if you don’t take care of your personal life, your mental health, it’s like putting the oxygen on yourself before you put it on the person next to you on the plane. You won’t be able to take care of the business and learn new things.”

2Improves productivity 

Taking care of yourself and prioritizing your wellbeing can help minimize burnout, increase engagement, and even boost productivity. The simple fact of life is that if you feel good, you’ll be more inclined to perform to the best of your ability. 

3Decreases the number of mistakes down the road

A healthy, clear mind will do wonders for both the executive and the organization. To quote this Forbes article directly:

“A stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted senior leader becomes hamstrung not only in making essential strategic and financial decisions but also in having less in the proverbial leadership tank to support employees. This can cause all sorts of issues.”

To avoid mistakes and perform to the best of your ability, you need to maintain a healthy wellbeing.

10 tips for executives to maintain healthy wellbeing 

• Make time for your personal life
• Use the time-blocking method
• Create and follow a routine that prioritizes your wellbeing 
• Communicate boundaries with your team
• Find a hobby and make time for it
• Prioritize sleep
• Be mindful of your eating habits
• Make time for daily exercise
• Be transparent about your wellbeing 
• Learn effective ways to manage stress 

1Make time for your personal life

As an executive, it can be incredibly hard to carve out time for your personal life—whether it be because you have a never-ending list of to dos or simply because you feel guilty stepping away from work. If you fail to take time for your personal life, it may bleed into other areas of your life. 

Failing to make time for your personal life may mean you miss out on family milestones, fail to nurture relationships with your friends or family, or forget hobbies that once made you feel happy and fulfilled. Making time for your personal life will help you create a healthy balance between work and home. 

2Use the time-blocking method

Time blocking is an excellent resource that may help you become more aware of how you’re spending your time. If you struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance, time blocking may be exactly what you need to take back control. When done correctly, time blocking can help you organize your priorities so you can begin to create a healthy work-life balance that helps you maintain a healthy wellbeing. 

Time blocking will:

• Help you set boundaries at work
• Promote deep work on single tasks
• Encourage you to reflect on your priorities
• Discourage multitasking and procrastination 

3Create and follow a routine that prioritizes your wellbeing 

Creating and sticking to a routine can do wonders for your wellbeing. We often fail to set aside time for ourselves; we sit down at our workstations in the morning and don’t find ourselves setting up until the workday is done. Failing to schedule time for regular meals, stretch, exercise, or even take simple screen breaks throughout the day can be detrimental. Not only does this lack of routine lead to exhaustion, but it can also cause burnout. 

Creating simple routines like a sleep schedule or bedtime habits can positively impact your mental sharpness, emotional wellbeing, and overall energy. Follow these simple steps to create a routine that positively impacts your wellbeing: 

• Take breaks throughout the day to stretch and move.
• Plan your day or workweek and stick to a predefined schedule. 
• Set a bedtime and create a pre-bedtime ritual that helps you sleep. 
• Schedule social outings and seek opportunities to connect outside of work.
• Schedule regular mealtimes and make sure to eat regularly throughout the day.

4Communicate boundaries with your team

Setting boundaries at work is important for a number of reasons. As an executive, you set an example for those around you. So not only does setting personal boundaries at work help you prioritize your wellbeing, but it also creates a culture that encourages employees to do the same. 

It’s important to remember that creating boundaries at work will be different for everyone and will largely depend on your personal needs and preferences. When you set your boundaries, it’s important to clearly communicate them with your team. If you plan to be offline on weekends or only plan to answer emails up until a certain hour, it is important that you communicate those parameters to your teammates. 

5Find a hobby and make time for it

No one can be productive 24/7 and working around the clock will only leave you feeling overworked or even worse, burned out. Setting aside time to do things you love is crucial to maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Finding a hobby and creating time to pursue it is imperative. Whether it be a painting class every Tuesday or listening to your favorite podcast in the evenings, it’s important that you set time aside to focus on things outside of work. 

6Prioritize sleep

Sleep is important for a number of reasons and has many benefits, including improved concentration, productivity, stable energy levels, and overall happiness. Successful executives understand the importance of taking care of their wellbeing. With this level of awareness comes a responsibility. As an executive, you’re responsible for putting your best foot forward and maintaining your wellbeing and you can’t do that without a proper sleeping schedule.  

7Be mindful of your eating habits

Many people fail to understand the importance of a healthy diet when in reality, consuming healthy foods is one of the best things that you can do for your wellbeing. To quote Michael Morelli,

“Not only is cleaning up your diet good for your physical health, but you may notice an impact on your energy levels throughout the day, and your ability to focus.”

Taking control of what you put in your body may improve your mood, reduce the risk of illness, and give you more energy, all of which are incredibly important for busy executives. 

8Make time for daily exercise 

Exercise is a proven mood booster, which is why it’s so important to find time to move your body. Whether it be an afternoon stroll between meetings, a boxing class in the evenings, or even a hike with your family on the weekend, it’s incredibly important to prioritize exercise. Even better if you can find time for daily exercise. Leading a healthy lifestyle that encompasses daily exercise will improve your physical health as well as your mental health. 

Executives who exercise regularly are proven to cope with stress and the demands of their positions better than their inactive counterparts. Remember, exercising regularly doesn’t mean you have to hit the gym and crush a workout every morning at 5:00 a.m. Your daily dose of exercise can be as simple as getting up taking a 15-minute walk between meetings. 

9Be transparent about your wellbeing 

A transparent leader is one who is open and honest. If you’re an executive who is struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance, it’s important to be open about it. Remember, as an executive, you need to lead by example. If you’re struggling, chances are other people are too. Being transparent about your endeavor to maintain a healthy wellbeing may prompt others within the organization to do the same. 

If you’re eager to make sure other members of your team are also prioritizing their wellbeing, you may want to leverage a tool like Fellow to help keep everyone accountable. Fellow makes it possible to host effective and meaningful conversations so you can share how you feel while encouraging others to do the same. 

10Learn effective ways to manage stress 

Being overwhelmed with anxiety makes it nearly impossible to manage your wellbeing, which is why it’s so important to develop healthy coping mechanisms. Instead of shutting down, becoming closed off, or losing your temper, you need to learn how to effectively manage your stress. Healthy ways you can manage your stress include connecting with your support system, going for a walk or exercising, partaking in a hobby or relaxing endeavor, and practicing deep breathing or meditation. How you destress is up to you; what’s most important is finding a way to unwind before you let the stress of the job affect your wellbeing. 

It’s time to prioritize your wellbeing 

Many people often underestimate the importance of prioritizing their wellbeing, but the facts are there: Prioritizing your mental health and maintaining a healthy wellbeing will make you happier, more productive, and more fulfilled. Ultimately, maintaining a healthy wellbeing will help you begin to notice positive changes in both your personal and professional life.